Doing our Duty

“So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'”

-Jesus (Luke 17:10)

I have watched a total of maybe 1 NBA game this year, until the Finals. I have enjoyed watching 4 of the 5 finals games this year for two main reasons. One, it’s the Celtics vs. Lakers – NBA doesn’t get any better than that, and the Celtics have been my favorite team since I was a little boy watching Larry Bird make opponents look silly with his skill and tenacity. The second reason is that I have been able to watch 3 of the games with my Dad. We use to get the whole family around the tv to watch Bird’s Celtics, and that seems to be an impossibility now, but Dad’s comments about the games were the ones I always loved hearing the most anyway, so at least I get to watch these games with him now. Dad has taught me so much about life through sports both as a participant and a spectator. I still long for his teachings and nuggets of wisdom that he drops every so often.

One stark difference in the players from the Bird era (80’s) and today’s players. The bulk of players today beat their chest and yell to the crowd about how great they are for doing a routine play that the coach and all the fans in the crowd expected them to do anyway. And if the player does something out of the ordinary like make a last second shot then the show is on. I saw Glen “Big Baby” Davis perform a little dance like he had just scored a touchdown after he was fouled on a made put-back.  In stark contrast I remember Larry Bird making a last second game-winning 3 pointer from the corner against the Lakers, falling into the stands and then getting up, smiling, giving a teammate a high-five as he trotted into the locker room. He acted as if he knew he was going to do that, as if it was just part of his job description. And in reality it was. He was the superstar and people expected him to make those shots, he expected to make those shots, and he didn’t try to draw attention to himself for simply doing his duty. That’s why people loved him.

I’m rooting for the Celtics because I’m a loyal fan (I even wore Celtic’s hats and clothing during the late 90’s and early 00’s) but I’m not real fond of the modern Celtics because of this fact.

Do your duty without trying to draw attention to yourself, in the long run, this is much more attractive.